Golf Vic Vol 60 No 2 2019

A small metropolitan club is showing the way of the future. KAREN HARDING looks at the renaissance of Mt Derrimut Golf and Community Club. THE SUN SHINES ON MT DERRIMUT feature by Karen Harding In early March of this year, the Australian Human Rights Commission in conjunction with Golf Australia released Guidelines for the Promotion of Equal Opportunity for Women and Girls in Golf at Mt Derrimut Golf and Community Club. It was an excellent choice of venue. Formerly Sunshine Golf Club and the owner of a proud history, the club changed history itself when it revamped its name and focus. In doing so, it has planted itself firmly in the future and become a model for other clubs wishing to do the same. The renaissance began in September 2017 with a new board. Led by successful businessman and passionate club member Clint Ebeyer, the immediate conversation surrounded increasing women’s involvement at the club, as well as creating a vision that extended beyond just golf. The first step was appointing Liedeke Bosma as one of the club’s directors. An economic geologist, Bosma was recruited as a graduate by BHP and served The Big Australian for 33 years in managerial, executive and board roles, some of which she retains today. As one of the few women in mining and resources, she has been something of, shall we say, a groundbreaker and has spent more than 20 years encouraging and helping empower women in that space. With a successful career involving a lot of travel, Bosma could not find time for golf. So what she brings to Mt Derrimut is not golf knowledge – “I’m a very good caddie” – but business acumen, a knowledge of strategic planning and an acute understanding of what women, in particular working women and younger women of today, are needing to make golf their sport of choice. Step two was planning the strategy to implement the vision. Hence the name change, a significant move for a club of long standing but one which set up its move in a different direction. 24 Golf Victoria